Politics

The Madison Metropolitan School District will ask voters for $41 million school facilities referendum in April.

A school district official said the school board finalized a project list involving 16 schools during a Monday meeting.

If approved, the money would be used to improve accessibility in 10 schools, add classroom space to five schools and renovate four schools in need of upgrades.

The biggest projects include $8 million in renovations at Jefferson Middle School and $4 million to redo the theater at East High School.

If approved, taxpayers owning an average $237,000 home would pay an additional $62.95 a year in property taxes for 10 years.

"If we can get these addressed not only will we create stronger schools and learning environments for our students, but we will set ourselves up for some long-term facilities planning that will really help bring our vision as a school district to life," MMSD Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham said.

Two Madison parks are set to get water-play installations after the city Parks Foundation received a $50,000 grant.

A splash park is planned for Reindahl Park, on Madison's east side, and Elver Park, on the city's west side. The city said construction on the additions, which feature interactive water attractions with spray toys and fountains, is scheduled to begin in late spring. The splash parks are expected to open in August.

The city said Monday that the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation Inc. gave $50,000 to the project.

Funding for the $2 million project was contributed by the city of Madison, which is committed to 85 percent of the cost, plus $50,000 from the Evjue Foundation, $10,000 from American Family Insurance and $50,000 from the Madison Community Foundation.

Dane County could make a deal on a new permanent day shelter for the homeless in the next couple of weeks.

Officials said the push for finding a place for the homeless is because there are so many people still trying to get on their feet after the recession.

The ideal location would be in the immediate downtown area so the homeless can have quick access to services to help them get jobs and get back on their feet. But as the real estate market bounces back, properties that fit the county's needs and fit into the $600,000 budget have been scarce.

As a result, their focus has turned to properties some distance from the city center, like the MARC East building on Lien Road.

"Part of the answer is that the homeless are everywhere in Dane County and everywhere in the city of Madison. But there are many services that are centralized in the central part of Madison, and a building like MARC would require a substantial transportation plan," Hendrick said.

Dane County will replace the Alliant Energy Center’s barns with multi-use pavilions in a $24 million project set to begin early next year.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said Tuesday that the county will award a Middleton construction company a nearly $20.7 million contract to build the pavilions.

The project is pending funding approval from the Wisconsin State Building Commission and the Dane County Board of Supervisors.

Middleton-based Miron Construction will build the pavilions that will create 290,000 square feet of multi-use space on the footprint of the Alliant Energy Center’s existing barns, according to a news release from Parisi’s office.

Demolition of the barns is expected to begin next year, with the project’s estimated completion in time for the 2014 World Dairy Expo.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Wisconsin will see cuts to their food stamp amounts starting Friday. The change comes as a federal boost to the supplemental nutritional assistance program expires.

More than 860,000 people in Wisconsin use the FoodShare program, or SNAP, with more than 50,000 in Dane County alone. All of those people will see cuts to benefits that help them put food on the table.

One of those is Thelia Baker, of Madison, who was at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church food pantry on Madison's southwest side Thursday. She's getting free food there to make ends meet since she's spent what benefits she gets this month. Baker has two kids, and her family of four gets about $370 in FoodShare benefits a month, which will be cut by $40 starting Friday.

"You hate to lose any of them, but what can you do?" said Baker. "You hate to lose any of them, because you can always use them all."

It's back to the drawing board for those creating a vision for Madison's Public Market.

Mayor Paul Soglin said the project may not be downtown and everything is back on the table. Soglin introduced a new consultant Tuesday who's beginning a new business plan for the proposed park.

Developing a new business plan could take six to eight months.

"We want to find a place for this that fits the vision and the program of uses and activities, and actual elements that will be in the market. We want a place that supports that," said Steve Davies, senior vice president of Project for Public Spaces.

The public will be invited to weigh in on the consultant's review, which is expected to cost $250,000.